We all wish we could do that one thing. Don’t you have a certain talent or skill you’ve always fantasized about possessing in order to impress people? Maybe you do not want to or need to impress anyone, but you have to admit you wish you could do something you’ve never been able to before. I want to learn how to surf so I can stand on a board and stay there long enough to look up and smile for a few seconds. I want to become a decent piano player… I mean good enough to understand how to read some intermediate sheet music and play a few of my favorite classic rock songs. I wish I knew how to skateboard! Cruising around campus as opposed to sporting that half run, half walk when I am about to be late to class sounds a bit more easygoing. Why do we wish we could do all these skills, but never actually learn them? I bet I can guess your answers! Here are some common reasonings you have maybe thought of that talk yourself out of learning a new skill, and here are some motivational tips to combat them!
1. I am too old to learn.
Sometimes I believe I have missed my prime years of learning how to play a new sport or instrument. I always hear the stories about how professional athletes and musicians start out when they are like three. We think that because these individuals started so young, we would be no good at trying to learn their skill at an older age. I mean it may be a bit late for me to become the next olympic gold medalist gymnast, but that doesn’t mean it is too late for me to learn how to do a proper handstand. There are thousands of great gymnasts that we simply do not hear about. We hear about the select few individuals who are performing at the highest level of their craft, and compare ourselves to them. This is discouraging, especially when you are trying something for the first time. When trying a new skill, compare yourself to no one. You have to start somewhere, and there is no need to be ashamed if you are at least dedicating the effort to do so, no matter how old you are!
*photo courtesy of azquotes.
2. I am afraid of failing.
Perhaps children learn these crazy skills when they are young because they are not afraid of failing. Kids do a thing because they love it and they want to. Unlike adults who are afraid of looking bad and ruining their ego, kids aren’t too bothered by falling off a surfboard or missing a note. They simply try again until they get it right. Maybe it is time to think like a six-year-old and just try it! When it comes to extreme sports, kids also have the advantage of not being fully developed, decreasing their risks of major injury. I get that, but if you simply don’t try to learn to skateboard because you are too afraid of falling off, then did you really want to learn at all? Realistically you are probably going to fall. That is A-OK! Put on some elbow and knee pads, or maybe even a few pillows and get outside!
*photo courtesy of wordpress.
3. I am too busy or I don’t have time.
Alright, I can understand when you have a hectic schedule. There is school and work and volunteering… the list goes on. There is always something that needs to be done preventing you from trying your new activity. I guess that is why people compare themselves to kids again, since these youngins are not bound by ample amounts of homework or a ridiculous work schedule. This is where you have to start with baby steps. Don’t think that with the free twenty minutes you have to paint a picture that it needs to be the next Picasso piece. Start with one technique. Maybe you are interested in learning how to watercolor, well there are plenty of watercolor techniques to try out. Select one and try to really get the hang of it. Then when maybe one day you actually have the time to paint for a longer period of time, you can start a larger, more detailed piece. Also, just because you have more time one day doesn’t mean you need to finish what you started at the same sitting. Take the time you have and don’t rush it. No you are not six anymore with all the time in world, and yes you have a new schedule to adapt to in order to make the time to try these skills. No need to write it in your planner, just do it.
*photo courtesy of azquotes.
4. I don’t have the resources.
I want to learn to surf, but I don’t really have a surfboard. This does not mean I need to purchase a brand new long board in order to learn. I should instead consider investing in a surfing lesson or two. It is always a good idea to get a feel of the new skill you think you want to learn, before you spend all your money on the gear or supplies you need. What if you realize that it is not for you? For sports, renting tends to be a better way to go before purchasing anything. For instruments, starting with a used instrument is a good idea. And if you want to learn to draw, just let me know because I have a pencil and a piece of paper to lend you. Improvise with what you have, and be realistic with your money.
There is a point where people think these dreams are unattainable. People don’t see the resources they need right then and there in order to perform their desired talent so they give up or think they wouldn’t be good at it anyway. I am saying to go out and make a fool of yourself if you have to. Then prove people wrong and show them you have the determination to so something new! Do it and stick to it! With spring break around the corner, it is great time to get something going!